Pump



Jan.' 4, 1927. 1,612,817

F. D. H oFFMAN PUMP Filed Dec. v l

2 Sheets-Sheei l lili 1 llll lml Humm" l Illllnl lill -INVENTOR fam/#ffm Jan. 4, 1927. 1,612,817

F. D. HOFFMAN PUMP Filed Deo- 7. 1925 2 Sheets-sheet e ATTORNEY Patented Jan,` 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRED n. HOFFMAN, or KANSAS CITY, MIssoUnI. f

PUMP.

Application filed December 7', 1925. Serial No. 73,709.

My invention relates to pumps and more particularly to one of a type wherein weight of the liquid being pumped'may be utilized as a pumping force.

More speciiically the invention partakes of the nature of an oscillating ram, the force of which is augmented by a supplemental pressure medium, to alternately elevate columns of liquid in opposite legs of a Ushaped barrel having a valved, Venturi connection to which liquid is sucked by a column rising through the pump barrel to outlet.

In accomplishing the above and other objects of the invention, I have provided liinproved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly 1n section, of a pump constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal section of the pump head.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the diaphragrn valve.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the slide valve for controlling the opposed pump valves.

Fig. 5 is a similar,but reverse view of the slide valve.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the slide valve chest.

Referring more in detail to the drawings 1 designates a well or other source of liquid supply hereinafter designated theV well, and 2-3 spaced conduits for receiving liquid from the well and conducting it to a point of use, each of the conduits having a flange 4 to which the lange 5 of a valve head 6 or 7 is attached by bolts 8, the valve heads being identical in construction but oppositely arranged, and given separate reference numerals for purposes of identification in the following description. Y

Each of the valve heads has a flange 9 at its end opposite the flange 5, to which is attached the flange 10 or 11 of a bell 12 or 13 by bolts 14, the bell 12 being preferably a separate element and the bell 13 integral with the slide valve chest 15, the chest 15 having a flange 16 connected with the end of the bell 12 by cap screws 17.

Each of the heads 6--7 has a port 18 or 19 opening to its respective conduit 2 or 3 and a valve seat 20 or 21 immediately within the port. Each also has a right'angular neel; 22 or 23, provided with a shouldered flange 24 or 25 for seating the upper end of a pump barrel 26 or 27, having a shouldered flange 28 or 29, secured to the flange 24 or bylag bolts 30. VEach of theheads6-7 also has an interior diaphragm 31 or 32 (Fig. 2), curved to deflect liquid entering from the pump barrel to the outlet port and provided, co-aXially with the outlet port, with a bearing 33 comprising packing 34 and a gland 35, for a single, longitudinally movable valve rod 36 having a valve 37 at one end for controlling the port 18 of head 6 and a valve 38 at its other end for controlling the port 19 of the vhead 7 arrangement alternate delivery from the pump barrels,

as will presently be described.

rihe pump rod is provided with supplef mental bearings consisting of hubs 39 and 40 on the inner, closed ends of the bells 12 and 13 and which include packing 41 and glands 42 for preventing escape of fluid pressure medium from the slide valve chest.

Connecting the lower ends of the barrels 26 and 27 is a U-shaped, Venturi tubeV 43, the channels 44 and 45 in the legs 46-47 of which are constricted toward the central throat 48; the upper ends of the legs having iianges 50 on rings 51 threaded onto the ends of the barrels.

ln the inner wall of each of the Venturi legs, adjacent the throat 48 is a shouldered opening 52 or 53 seating a valve ring 54 or 55, secured to the leg by cap screws, 56, and comprising a port 57 or 58, a valve seat 59 or 60 and a spider 61 or 62 carrying a bearing V63 or 64 for a valve rod 65 or 66. fit their inner ends the rods 65 and 66carry valves 67 or 68 which are normally urged to closed position by springs 69 or 70 bearing at their inner ends against the spiders 61 or 62 and at their outer ends against washers 71 or 72 held by nuts 73 or 74 on the ends of theV rods.

lWith this arrangement, when liquid surges in the direction of the conduit 2 it is constricted in the Venturi channel 45, eX- erting pressure on the valve 68 to close the valve, and is relievedv in the channel 44 so that weight of the liquid in the well supplemented by relief of pressure in the channel 14C overcomes tension of the spring 69 to open the valve and admit liquid to the pump. The reverse is true when the surge is in the direction of conduit Of course the liquid alone cannot effect the surging action and 1 therefore supply a supplemental pressure medium for providing and directing a surging force as and through the mechanism which 1 will now describe The fluid pressure medium (preferably compressed air) is supplied from a suitable source (not shown) through a pipe 7 5 (Fig. 3) to a channel 76 (Fig. 6) in a boss 77 on the valve chest 15, and thence through a port 78 into the slide valve chamber 79 (Fig. 2) near one end of the chamber. Opening from the valve chamber at the opposite sides of the supply port 78 are ports 80 and 81 with which communicate pipes 82 and 83 leading respectively to open ports 84; and 85 in the tops of the valve heads 6 and 7, and through which air under pressure may be delivered to the valve heads for moving the liquid column, as will presently be described, the pipes 82 and 83 being provided with check valves 86 for prexfenting back flow of the pressure medium from the pump barrels to the supply pipe.

Slidably mounted within the valve chest 15 is'the valve 87, having a radial slot 88 (Fig. l) within which is located a llattened portion 89 of the reciprocating valve rod 36, the flattened portion of the rod being of greater length than the valve to permit idle movement of the rod relative to the valve and the valve having a shifting movement under thrust of the shoulders 90-91 on the rod, suicient to alternately open and close the ports 80-81 to and from the supply port 7 through a longitudinal recess 92 in the periphery of the valve body.

The valve 87 is also provided with a longitudinal groove 93 for receiving the shank 941 of a screw 95 that is threaded through the wall of the valve chest to hold the valve 87 and reciprocating rod 36 from turning during their longitudinal movement or under influence of the pressure medium,

Secured to the slide valve 87 within the slot 88, is a bowed spring 97 which wipes the wall of the valve chest to yieldingly retain the valve in set position between throws. Located in the left hand end of the valve is a socket 98 for receiving the hub 99 of a piston 100 which is pinned or otherwise xed to the reciprocating rod. lnsert in the periphery of the valve is a recess 101 through which communication may be established between the slide valve control ports 102 and 103 and between the port 103 and relief port 104. Located in the ends of the valve, in line with the recess 101 are notches 105 106, for facilitating flow of fluid from port 102 to the left hand side of the slide valve and from the right hand side of the valve to the relief port 104C.

Located adjacent the valve chest 15 is a housing 107 comprising upper and lower semi-spherical members 108, 109, the upper one threaded onto the lower one and having a shoulder 110 binding a flexible diaphragm 111 onto the rim of the lower member. The lower member has an interior socket 112 seating a spring 113 on the end of a screw 11e threaded into a collar 115 on said member so that the spring supports the diaphragm centrally and may be adjusted by means of a set nut 116 to regulate feed of pressure medium to the slide valve chest. In the upper member 108 is a port 117 surrounded by a neck 118 and having an inwardly opening seat 119.

Threaded onto the neck 118 is a cap 120 having a central port 121. Threaded into the cap 120 and communicating with the port 121 is a pipe 122 leading to the left hand control port 102 in the slide valve chest. Fixed within the neck 118 is a spider 123 having a central opening 124, and liked on the diaphragm 111 is a valve 125 adapted to seat in the seat 119 and having a stem 126 guided in the opening 124 in the spider and adapted for seating in the port 121 in the cap 120 to supplementally valve flow of pressure medium from the chamber 127 within the upper half of the housing 107 to the pipe 122. Fluid pressure medium is constantly supplied to the chamber 127 through a pipe 128 from the source of, supply heretofore mentioned but not illustrated.

129 designates a pipe leading from the control port 103 in the slide valve chest to a channel 130 in the end of the belt 12 which opens to the left hand end of the slide valve chamber and through which pressure medium may be passed to the slide valve chamber from the diaphragm valve chamber 127. 131 designates a pressure relief pipe leading from the slide valve chamber to the lower chamber 132 in the diaphragm valve housing and 133 a slow relief valve opening from the chamber 132 to atmosphere; the slow relief valve comprising an adjusting screw 1344 whereby the valve opening may be adjusted to regulate rate of flow from the chamber.

Assuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described, with liquid in the pump barrel at the level of the liquid in the well, and the several valves in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, operation is as follows:

Pressure medium .admitted through the pipe 75 passes through the .recess 92 in the slide valve into the pipe 83 and then into the pump barrel 27, forcing the column of liquid ahead of it pastthe ports 57 and 58 int-o the barrel 26 where the column rises to be delivered through the conduit 2, constriction of the Venturi leg 45 causing the liquid to exert a pressure on the valve 68 which tends to close this valve, Vand relieiL of pressure in the gradually enlarging leg L16, freeing the valve 67 so that pressure of the liquid in the wellwill overcome the tension of the spring 69 and permit the valve 67 to open and admit liquid from the well, to replace that delivered into the conduit 2.

Illliile this action is taking place, pressure is being built up in the diaphragm valve chamber 127 by admission of the pressure medium through the pipe 128 and which .eventually overcomes the tension of the spring 13, flexing the diaphragm and unseating of the valve 125, permitting the pressure medium to flow through the pipe 122 and port 102 into the slide valve chamber at the right hand side of the piston 100, shifting'the piston, and the reciprocating valve rod 36 to which it is fixed carries the left hand liquid valve 37' carried by the rod towards the seat 20, unseating the right hand liquid valve 38. Unseating of the right hand valve relieves the pressure medium from the pump barrel 27 so that the column of liquid rises in the barrel 27 and falls in the barrel 26.

Continued movement of the reciprocating valve rod 36 carries the shoulder 91 on said rod against the right hand end of the slide valve to locate the recess 101 in communication with the ports 102 and 103. The rece-ss 101 having previously communicated -the control port 103 with the relief port 104i, and the relief port 103 having been in communication with that part of the slide valve cylinder to the left of the piston, pressure in the chamber which would otherwise tend to resist travel of the piston is released through thepipe, port 103, and the relier port- 10-1L to atmosphere. As soon as the piston 100 has moved past the pipe 131, open communication is established between the upper diaphragm valve chamber 127 and the lower diaphragm chamber 132, tending to establish an equilibrium in the chambers, during which period the left hand liquid valve is closed and the right hand liquid valve is open and pressure medium is beine' delivered into the left hand valve head fiom supply pipe 75, through port 76, recess 92 and the pipe 82 to reverse flow oi the column of liquid in the pump barrels, the Venturi valves operating reversely now to close the Venturi channel di and open the channel 45 to admit liquid from the well, the rising column of liquid in barrel 27 to compensate for that delivered through the outlet 3. i

l/Vhile this reverse action is taking place in the pump valves and venturi, air is escaping from the lower diaphragm valve chamber 132 through the slow relief valve and pressure is being built up in the upper chamber 127, the parts being so regulated that by the time a charge is delivered through the outlet conduit pipe 3, pressur'e in the upper diaphragm chamber 127 will have flexed the diaphragm and unseated the valve 125 to again admit pressure medium to the pipe 122. The pressure medium now passes into the port 102, through the recess 101, port 103, pipe 120 and channel 130, into the slide valve chamber to the left of the piston 100, building up a pressure to the left of the piston. that forces the piston to the right,

shifting the slide valve when the pis--k ton comes into contact therewith to close the lright hand liquid valve, open the left hand liquid valve and yre-establish communication between the upper diaphragm valve chamber and the slide valve chamber to the right of the piston, and release communication between the slide valve chamber to the left of the piston and to atmosphere through the pipe 129, valve port 103, recess 101 and reli t port 104, the cycle o;C operation above describedbeing reversed automatically to eilect intalre'of liquid from the well and delivery thereof alternately through the conduits 2 and 3.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. A pump comprising separate barrels and a Venturi connection between thebarrels, having valved ports at opposite sides of the Venturi throat.

2. A pump comprising separate barrels and a Venturi connection between the barrels, having valved ports at opposite sides of the Venturi throat, and means for delivering charges of a pressure medium alternately to the respective barrels.

3. A pump comprising separate barrels and a Venturi connection between the barrels having ports at opposite sides of the Venturi throat, inwardly opening, normally, yieldingly closed valves for said ports, and means for effecting oscillation of a column of liquid within the pump to effect discharge from the barrels and alternate opening and closing of the valves according to decrease and increase in pressure within the connection.

4. In a pump comprising separa-te barrels having a Venturi connection and outlet ports, valves for said ports, means for shifting the valves to alternately open and close the ports, and means co-ordinating with the valve shifting means to -deliver pressure medium to the respective barrels while the valves are clos-ed, the Venturi connection having automatically valved ports for admitting liquid to the pump.

5. In a pump, separate, connected barrels each having an individual outlet, means for admitting liquid to the pump, a reciprocatory rod, valves on said rod, controlling said outlets, means for applying a pressure :medium to shift the rod and alternately seatrand unseat the valves, and means coordinating with the said last-named means to deliver pressure medium to the barrels when the valves are closed.

6. In a pump, separate barrels having individual outlets and means for admitting liquid to the pump7 means tor admitting pressure medium to the pump barrels, a combination cylinder and valve chest, a rod extending through the cylinder and chest and having valves on its ends controlling said outlets7 a piston on said rod, and a valve in said chest, operable by the rod to effect delivery of pressure medium alternately to opposite sides ot the piston.

T. In combination With connected pump barrels, each having a separate outlet and means for admitting liquid to the pump, separate conduits for delivering pressure medium to the pump barrels, a reciprocating rod having valves at its ends for controlling the respective outlets, a combination cylinder and valve chest, a piston in said cylinder and fixed to the rod7 a valve in said chest7 means i'or delivering` pressure medium to opposite sides of the piston, and a slide valve in the chest operable by the rod to divert iiow of pressure medium through the conduit and through the other pressure delivering means.

in testimonyT whereof aiiix my signature.

FRED D. HOFFMAN. 

